1 The Stained Glass Windows of the Arminian Church of Our Savor The Stained-Glass Windows of the Armenian Church of Our Savor An Interactive Qualifying Project Submitted to the Faculty of Worcester Polytechnic Institute In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science In Mechanical Engineering By ___________________________ Abdullah Al-Shawk Date: 4/29/2020 Project Advisors: ___________________________ Professor Karen Kashmanian Oates 2 The Stained Glass Windows of the Arminian Church of Our Savor Acknowledgments: First, I would like to thank Professor Karen Oates for all the advice and support provided throughout this project. I also would like to thank all the members of the Armenian Church of our Savior. Special thanks to the priest and his wife who welcomed me to their community with enthusiasm and provided me with accurate timeline and history information of the stain glass. It is important for me to thank that WPI community who never fails to surprise me with their cooperation and willingness to participate in the surveys required for this study. 3 The Stained Glass Windows of the Arminian Church of Our Savor Abstract The goal of this project is to study the meaning behind the stained-glass windows at the Armenian Church of Our Savor in Worcester Massachusetts. The history of these beautiful windows has taught us that the combination of colorful lights not only provides a mesmerizing atmosphere inside the church, but also a lesson for those who believe through symbolism and metaphors. After interviewing the pastors of the church and analyzing the features and figures drawn in every glass, and upon analyzing the answers received from the surveys, we discovered that no more than ten percent of the survey participants understand the educational meaning of the stained-glass windows and each symbolism hidden in them. Even though the participants did not fully understand the meaning behind each glass, almost all of them expressed their desire to learn more if the resources were available to them. Therefore, the booklet created in this study will fill in that gap that has been identified among the members of this church. In other words, every small detail noticed in the surroundings while being in the Armenian church of our Savor, is a small piece that belongs to a bigger puzzle and contributes to our wholeness and spiritual unity and is worth fully contemplating it. 4 The Stained Glass Windows of the Arminian Church of Our Savor Executive Summary: The Armenian immigrants started fleeing to the United States of America in the late 1800s and early 1900s during the Ottoman Empire occupation. In this country they found freedom and opportunity for a better life after spending months of travelling with boats in the wide ocean. One of the largest Armenian communities in the US settled in Worcester Massachusetts and is responsible for building the Armenian Church of Our Savior. The Armenian Church of our savior is the first Armenian Church in the Northern hemisphere which gives it a lot of importance for the Armenian community of the United States. Building this church was a huge milestone for the Armenians since it was a sign of acceptance from their fellow American citizens. Armenians have suffered a lot from the wars throughout the history of their nation since they went through a huge identity and geographically displacement that made them victims of racism. Having a community in the United States and building a Church without fear of approval is something that Armenian Americans are very proud and pleased to have. The Church, just like any Armenian church around the globe, has a variety of colorful stain glass windows. These windows represent the history of the religion through stories from the bible but in the same time it focuses on key figures who have played an important role in the Armenian Christian Orthodox Church. From Saints and kings who helped to establish and bring the religion to the Armenian people to Saints who created the alphabet and wrote the bible. These windows are more than a beautiful piece of art, they are educational tools for the church members since the early 1800s where they were first found in France as a way of reducing the usage of paper and having a permanent tool that could reach out to more people. Today’s technological innovations have overcome many old and traditional tools. People can learn more about their religion online and through more exciting methods such as movies and short videos. Therefore, the stain glass windows has become for many people a traditional piece of art. In this paper we will discuss the detailed meaning behind each of the windows and all the figures and symbols represented. We will also ask people from different communities and backgrounds to participate in surveys and answer questions about the stain glass window they may have at their school, workplaces and churches and identify how much knowledge they have about the windows. 5 The Stained Glass Windows of the Arminian Church of Our Savor List of figures Figure Title Photo 1 Pentecost the coming of the holy spirit. 2 The Ascension of Jesus 3 Saint Mesrob and Saint Nerses I 4 The Resurrection 6 The Stained Glass Windows of the Arminian Church of Our Savor 5 Saint Sahag and Saint Gregory of Nareg. 6 The Assumption 7 The transfiguration of Jesus. 7 The Stained Glass Windows of the Arminian Church of Our Savor 8 Saint Bartholomew/ Saint Tiridates, Saint Ashkhen, Saint Khosrovitoukht/Saint Hiripsime 9 The Birth and Baptism of Jesus 10 Saint Gregory the Enlightener/Saint Thaddeus 8 The Stained Glass Windows of the Arminian Church of Our Savor 11 Saint Mark 12 Saint John 13 Saint Luke 14 Saint Matthew 9 The Stained Glass Windows of the Arminian Church of Our Savor 15 Survey 1 Question 1 16 Survey 1 Question 2 17 Survey 1 Question 3 18 Survey 5 Question 1 and 2 19 Survey 5 Question 3 and 4 10 The Stained Glass Windows of the Arminian Church of Our Savor Table of Contents Acknowledgments: ....................................................................................................................................... 2 Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................... 3 Executive Summary: ...................................................................................................................................... 4 List of figures ................................................................................................................................................. 5 1.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 12 2.0 Background: .................................................................................................................................... 13 2.1 Armenian Immigration ...................................................................................................................... 13 2.2 The Armenian Church establishment history ................................................................................... 14 2.3 The history of Stained-Glass Windows ............................................................................................. 15 3.0 Method ........................................................................................................................................... 16 3.1 Photographs of the windows ............................................................................................................ 16 3.2 Stained Glass Figures ........................................................................................................................ 16 3.2.1 Unstructured Interview .............................................................................................................. 16 3.2.2 Using the WPI Gordon Library resources ................................................................................... 17 3.3 Survey of the Church Members ........................................................................................................ 17 4.0 Results: .................................................................................................................................................. 19 4.1 Photography ...................................................................................................................................... 19 4.2 Stain Glass Figures and symbols ....................................................................................................... 19 4.2.1 Figure 1 Pentecost the coming of the holy spirit. ...................................................................... 19 4.2.2 Figure 2 The Ascension of Jesus ................................................................................................. 20 4.2.3 Figure 3 Saint Mesrob and Saint Nerses I .................................................................................. 20 4.2.4 Figure 4 The Resurrection .......................................................................................................... 21 4.2.5 Figure 5 Saint Sahag and Saint Gregory of Nareg. ..................................................................... 21 4.2.6 Figure 6 The Assumption ........................................................................................................... 22 4.2.7 Figure 7 The transfiguration of Jesus. .......................................................................................